Tell me about sailing from New Orleans on the Dream

[Velvetwater]

Hi

 

Since we have had a summer cruise booked for over a year now we are looking at booking our Summer 2017 cruise. Originally my Husband didn't want to cruise but hes been going on about going to New Orleans for a while and thinks a week sightseeing there then a cruise would be a great.

 

We would be looking at the mid August sailing Going to Belize,Roatan and Cozumel. We have our eye on this one as Belize is our most desired Carribean port port.

 

So questions!

 

1. Is Belize often skipped by Carnival as a port in summer season?

2. What is the passenger base like? We have always sailed longer, unusual cruises with Carnival and loved the atmosphere but wondered what the passenger base will be like on a 7 day. We will be 30/31 when we sail and do like to stay up and socialise.

3. Any particular must do excursions? We don't usually do them but figured since its a short cruise we might book them for each day. We couldn't decide between cave tubing/ruins in Belize or whether to do ruins in Cozumel and then snorkel in Roatan. As you can see we like the water and historical stuff.

 

These are more New Orleans based questions but figured I would post them:

 

1. Any particular hotel? We usually stay budget so we can have a few more nights but want to be able to walk to the French Quarter.

 

2. Any particular foodie spots? I have the oldest Po boy shop, Cafe Du Monde and the Carousel bar on my list.

 

3.Any particular night/music spots? Husband is passionate about this but could do with some advice.

 

4. Is it easy to travel out to plantation country/The Garden quarter by public transport?

 

5. Hows the weather? We found Florida in August very humid and hot but coped with it for a few days.

 

Thanks so much :)

[SallyIinSd]

I grew up in New Orleans. New Orleans is Foodie Heaven! You can get many fabulous meals. I would suggest that you splurge on some of them. Favorite restaurants are Galatoire's, Bayona's and Antoine's for your splurges. My favorite poboy is at Domilise's but many people suggest Mother's in the CBD. There are plantation tours, swamp tours and riverboat tours all accessible from the Quarter. DO NOT go into cemeteries unless you are with a group. Regarding the weather, summer in New Orleans is oppressively humid. I would suggest another time of year. If summer it must be, then expect to be hot. Get a drink at Pat O'Brien's and drink it while you walk around the French Quarter. Always ask for a Go Cup.

[Velvetwater]

Thanks :)

 

It has to be August because we teacher and its cheaper than late July. We could just about with August Florida humidity if its similar?

 

I will look up those places...I am the foodie of the marriage and hubby is the music buff so New Orleans seems like our perfect US city. He really hates seafood while I love it so he will have to watch me eat. I don't think it would be right to head to NOLA and not eat lots of things from the sea.

[*Cassie*]

We sailed out of New Orleans on the Triumph in January 2011, so can just help with these two.

 

These are more New Orleans based questions but figured I would post them:

 

1. Any particular hotel? We usually stay budget so we can have a few more nights but want to be able to walk to the French Quarter.

 

We stayed at the Country Inn & Suites and really liked it. It was in a great spot. Easy walk down to the river front and not too far from the French Quarter.

 

2. Any particular foodie spots? I have the oldest Po boy shop, Cafe Du Monde and the Carousel bar on my list.

 

We ate at Mother's, which was just a block from the hotel and was really good, and yes Cafe Du Monde is a must! I can't remember the name of the other cafe we ate at unfortunately.

 

Edited January 28, 2016 by *Cassie*

[nchikk]

So questions!

 

1. Is Belize often skipped by Carnival as a port in summer season? I've not heard of it being skipped, but be careful once away from the immediate port area. If you're venturing out, I would recommend a ship-sponsored excursion.

 

2. What is the passenger base like? We have always sailed longer, unusual cruises with Carnival and loved the atmosphere but wondered what the passenger base will be like on a 7 day. We will be 30/31 when we sail and do like to stay up and socialise. You'll be just fine.

 

3. Any particular must do excursions? We don't usually do them but figured since its a short cruise we might book them for each day. We couldn't decide between cave tubing/ruins in Belize or whether to do ruins in Cozumel and then snorkel in Roatan. As you can see we like the water and historical stuff. In Coz, we liked Salsa y Salsa (booked thru Carnival) and Cozumel Bar Hop (google them). We highly recommend both. For Roatan, we did a private tour with Voctor Bodden Tours (google them) and enjoyed the tour very much. We decided what to see and not see, and our guide was very, very accommodating. In Belize, we did a snorkeling excursion and never set foot on land...but it was very nice.

 

These are more New Orleans based questions but figured I would post them:

 

1. Any particular hotel? We usually stay budget so we can have a few more nights but want to be able to walk to the French Quarter. Sorry, can't help you with this one. We have always stayed in Metairie and rented a car. It's always worked out cheaper for us, leaving us more to enjoy the city with.

 

2. Any particular foodie spots? I have the oldest Po boy shop, Cafe Du Monde and the Carousel bar on my list. My favourites are the places that aren't famous. But I still love the beignets at CdM.

 

3.Any particular night/music spots? Husband is passionate about this but could do with some advice.

 

4. Is it easy to travel out to plantation country/The Garden quarter by public transport? I'm thinking you should be able to book a tour with any of the tour companies. Check at your hotel for brochures.

 

5. Hows the weather? We found Florida in August very humid and hot but coped with it for a few days. New Orleans will be hot, humid, more hot and more humid.

 

One more thing...in New Orleans, there is a WWII museum, on Canal Street, I think. Go there.

[BigEasyCC]

Hi

 

Since we have had a summer cruise booked for over a year now we are looking at booking our Summer 2017 cruise. Originally my Husband didn't want to cruise but hes been going on about going to New Orleans for a while and thinks a week sightseeing there then a cruise would be a great.

 

We would be looking at the mid August sailing Going to Belize,Roatan and Cozumel. We have our eye on this one as Belize is our most desired Carribean port port.

 

So questions!

 

1. Is Belize often skipped by Carnival as a port in summer season?

2. What is the passenger base like? We have always sailed longer, unusual cruises with Carnival and loved the atmosphere but wondered what the passenger base will be like on a 7 day. We will be 30/31 when we sail and do like to stay up and socialise.

3. Any particular must do excursions? We don't usually do them but figured since its a short cruise we might book them for each day. We couldn't decide between cave tubing/ruins in Belize or whether to do ruins in Cozumel and then snorkel in Roatan. As you can see we like the water and historical stuff.

 

These are more New Orleans based questions but figured I would post them:

 

1. Any particular hotel? We usually stay budget so we can have a few more nights but want to be able to walk to the French Quarter.

 

2. Any particular foodie spots? I have the oldest Po boy shop, Cafe Du Monde and the Carousel bar on my list.

 

3.Any particular night/music spots? Husband is passionate about this but could do with some advice.

 

4. Is it easy to travel out to plantation country/The Garden quarter by public transport?

 

5. Hows the weather? We found Florida in August very humid and hot but coped with it for a few days.

 

Thanks so much :)

 

1.) Belize is on the rotation of the 3 itineraries Carnival does out of New Orleans.

 

2.)You really can go almost anywhere and get great food in N.O. It depends on what type of food you are looking for. We have it all.

 

3.) Again, what type of music. Do you prefer N.O. style Jazz, contemporary, etc. I've heard great reviews of some of the spots along Frenchman St., but I haven't been there personally.

 

4.) The Garden District is just a street car ride away from the French Quarter so easy peasey. If you would like to go to Plantation country...get a tour.

[Sthrncrusr]

We did the Dream out of Nola last summer with our two young children. You will love it. We were able to use hotel points and stay for free in the quarter. We did park our car for the week in a covered deck at the Fulton Street parking deck. Look it up. There is a shuttle to and from port. So much cheaper than parking at the port and they dropped off and picked up on time. The WWII museum is really neat and we also love the jazz singer who has a residency at the top of the Ritz Carlton in the Quarter called Davenport Lounge. It's actually super fun, great vibe with lots of people dancing. Jazz isn't usually my go-to genre but this dude is awesome. Think more of a Michael Buble type! Great evening spot. As for restaurants, I'm not sure you can go wrong. Commander's Palace is famous and very good. Love it there. Uptown has some fun bars like Cooter Browns.

Be prepared to sweat. It is SO hot in the summer but totally worth it. Just stay hydrated (which should be easy lol).

On the ship we had a good crowd. Lots of families and young couples. Trivia was a lot of fun and so were the movies at night out by the pool on the big screen. Spent a lot of time in the casino. The people manning the card tables were great. Spoke to us all week and were a lot of fun. We did excursions in every port except Caymans bc we've been there a lot. Our trip was Cozumel, Montego bay and caymans. The weather was so great that I'm glad we chose beach excursions. I booked each of them through private companies because they were so much cheaper. Oh and last, don't forget to find the Tandoor Grill outside on the Dream. Great little secret for lunch. Indian food and fresh veggie dishes. Really good! Hope this helps!

[Twintowngirl]

We sailed on the Dream out of NO September 2015 and loved it. We stayed at the Country Inn and Suites on Magazine Street and loved the hotel and the location. It was an easy walk to the French Quarter but if you wanted to take a cab at night, it was an under $10.00 ride. Any of the restaurants mentioned are good. We ate at Mother's and enjoyed the poboys there. I wonder if you can get bad food in town as everywhere we ate had great food. We stayed just one night before the cruise and flew home the day we got back.

 

Probably my favorite thing was sailing down the Mississippi River at night! The sunset was beautiful and it was fun to see all the towns etc on the way down the River. It took 6-8 hours to get to open water!

 

Hope you enjoy your trip!

 

Deb

[Velvetwater]

Thanks for the advice...I will be busy with research!

 

We are pretty easy music wise. We are predominantly rock/metal fans but love lots of types of music and would love to ee authentic soul/jazz in the city.

 

I will pretty much eat anything as well. I forgot the Dream had a Tandoor...just hoping the 2017 dry dock doesnt get rid of it. If theres one thing that keeps a Brit happy its curry.

 

As far as night spots go we are also massive real ale/craft beer fans so anything in the direction is good. I also found out abour NOLA specility cocktails but I forgot the names.

 

We won't be driving anywhere as we come from the UK but its likely we will be coming in from Houston on the Amtrak as we save about £300pp on flights that way. We have thought about having a night/day in Houston too.

[jgmpuma]

New Orleans is like an armpit in August. You just have to deal with it.

 

You will find local music listings here. Most have no cover charge.

 

http://www.wwoz.org

 

Tom Fitzmorris is the local food guy, and I find him pretty reliable. His ratings, by neighborhood, can be found here:

 

http://www.nomenu.com

[mamajules]

Thanks for the advice...I will be busy with research!

 

We are pretty easy music wise. We are predominantly rock/metal fans but love lots of types of music and would love to ee authentic soul/jazz in the city. I would check out Fritzel's European Jazz Club on Bourbon. Little place, has a 1 or 2 drink minimum, but really great old school jazz combo.

 

I will pretty much eat anything as well. I forgot the Dream had a Tandoor...just hoping the 2017 dry dock doesnt get rid of it. If theres one thing that keeps a Brit happy its curry.

 

As far as night spots go we are also massive real ale/craft beer fans so anything in the direction is good. I also found out abour NOLA specility cocktails but I forgot the names. A hurricane at Pat O'Brien's and a Sazerac at the Carousel Bar. Not sure of any craft beer places in the Quarter, but possibly other areas that a local might be able to direct you to.

 

We won't be driving anywhere as we come from the UK but its likely we will be coming in from Houston on the Amtrak as we save about £300pp on flights that way. We have thought about having a night/day in Houston too.

 

I love New Orleans and the French Quarter, no other place like it. Enjoy your stay and your cruise!

[slybear]

Dont forget that August is right in the middle of hurricane season so your cruise could be re-routed to avoid storms.

[Librarian365]

Anyone have experience with hurricanes while booked on the Dream? We are going in June and yes, we know it is the season, but it's really the only time we can go. Do they change itinerary or just stay out to sea? What about policy if they cancel?

[Velvetwater]

Sazerac...thats it! ;)

[cruisinmeme]

Dont forget that August is right in the middle of hurricane season so your cruise could be re-routed to avoid storms.

 

Or the city could be under evacuation order, roads or airports closed?

 

Most ports are so hot you can't breathe in August .

[It's a Ship!!!]

Hi

 

Since we have had a summer cruise booked for over a year now we are looking at booking our Summer 2017 cruise. Originally my Husband didn't want to cruise but hes been going on about going to New Orleans for a while and thinks a week sightseeing there then a cruise would be a great.

 

We would be looking at the mid August sailing Going to Belize,Roatan and Cozumel. We have our eye on this one as Belize is our most desired Carribean port port.

 

So questions!

 

1. Is Belize often skipped by Carnival as a port in summer season?

2. What is the passenger base like? We have always sailed longer, unusual cruises with Carnival and loved the atmosphere but wondered what the passenger base will be like on a 7 day. We will be 30/31 when we sail and do like to stay up and socialise.

3. Any particular must do excursions? We don't usually do them but figured since its a short cruise we might book them for each day. We couldn't decide between cave tubing/ruins in Belize or whether to do ruins in Cozumel and then snorkel in Roatan. As you can see we like the water and historical stuff.

 

These are more New Orleans based questions but figured I would post them:

 

1. Any particular hotel? We usually stay budget so we can have a few more nights but want to be able to walk to the French Quarter.

 

2. Any particular foodie spots? I have the oldest Po boy shop, Cafe Du Monde and the Carousel bar on my list.

 

3.Any particular night/music spots? Husband is passionate about this but could do with some advice.

 

4. Is it easy to travel out to plantation country/The Garden quarter by public transport?

 

5. Hows the weather? We found Florida in August very humid and hot but coped with it for a few days.

 

Thanks so much :)

I can help you with some of the Dream and itinerary questions. Of course any port can be skipped, but Belize isn't one that is skipped often. Someone mentioned hurricanes causing the ship to change itineraries, and of course that is a possibility, but most hurricanes are in September and October.

 

The passenger base on my Dream cruise was awesome. Lots of friendly southerners. You will see a lot of people in New Orleans Saints jerseys at any time of the year. The night life was pretty good when I went, with the comedy club, piano bar, and night club all very popular. I hope they don't take away the Tandoor, because it is some of the best food on the ship.

 

Belize is one of those ports where you will have much more fun if you do an excursion. I've done the cave tubing and it was awesome. There is a hike through the forest, which was great for me, but not everyone can handle a 20-30 minute hike. I would suggest doing the Ruins in Cozumel, the Cave tubing in Belize, and then some type of beach/snorkeling excursion in Roatan.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Just got back from our Dream cruise in NOLA and great food everywhere!

 

Definitely do Pat O'Briens as the Hurricanes are that good, be careful though!

 

Did the Sunday brunch at "Court of Two Sisters" and wow, everything was so good including the turtle soup! Loved the jazz music, the place was the right spot to start off our NOLA part of the vacation!

 

Did not get to see the trip into the port as it was in the middle of the night BUT I can say the 2nd to the last night in the Gulf of Mexico was the worst on the seas we have had! We thought the ship was going to rip in two, the waves and rocking were terrible, people sick all over the place. Wow not sure if that is typical for the Gulf but wow, also the Port of NOLA broke two of our suitcases wheels..........:mad:, thankfully superglue did the trick now to call the repair center for replacement wheels.......

 

Have fun!

[It's a Ship!!!]

Anyone have experience with hurricanes while booked on the Dream? We are going in June and yes, we know it is the season, but it's really the only time we can go. Do they change itinerary or just stay out to sea? What about policy if they cancel?

 

The hurricane season is June through November, but most happen from September to October. While it is possible for a hurricane to effect your cruise, it is rare. They usually just change the itinerary because they know ahead of time where the hurricane/tropical storm will be, so they go where it won't be. If they have to miss a port without adding another they will refund you a portion of your taxes and port fees. If they have to completely cancel which is extremely rare, then they usually refund your money and give you future cruise credit, but it can vary depending on the situation.

 

I've actually sailed from Galveston to Cozumel, Belize, and Roatan on the Magic (sister ship to Dream) in October during the peak of Hurricane season and we had beautiful weather and calm seas.

[lennythenose]

We had this same itinerary on the Conquest from NOLA the first week of August 2013. It was a wonderful trip. We did not stay in the city and I am cruising on the Dream in March for the first time but as far as the ports go I too have not heard of Belize being skipped. We absolutely fell in love with Belize when we were there. We booked an excursion to the Lamanai ruin through a private company and it is one of my all time favorites. We were on a speed boat that took us up the river about 45 minutes to the ruins. We saw monkeys and tons of other things on the excursion which was out main goal. I have 2 boys (12 and 8 at the time). The ruins were really interesting and not all of the site has been excavated. It is still very much in the jungle and the howler monkeys are all over the place. Unlike many of the ruins in Mexico you can still climb the larger ones at this site. It is a long trip but our guides did a fantastic job of making sure we got back in time.

 

In Roatan we booked a day at West Bay Beach through a private company. Beautiful water and beach. In Cozumel we just grab a taxi and head to one of the beaches. We have been there several times and feel comfortable on our own so save our excursion $$ for other places.

[Raxter54]

Just a few points:

Get a Jazzy Pass. $3 and you get 1 day unlimited transfers on NOLA buses and streetcars. Can order them online.

 

Excellent snorkeling at Tabyana Beach on Roatan. The coral reef is only 30-40 yards off the shore.

 

If you're hubby likes jazz, must visit Preservation Hall in the French Quarter.

[Velvetwater]

Wow, thanks for all the advice everyone!

 

I love CCers advice...so helpful :)

[cruisinmeme]

I know the subject is not hurricanes. I get that. Original poster is from UK, so give them a break and do research before giving advice that isn't real accurate.

I am 67 yrs old and I have lived on on gulf coast all my life.

Read up people! Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August. Tore up the cruise terminals, ruined every car there. Well anyway who has not heard of Katrina.

Unless I have lived it I wouldn't say, oh it don't happen but rarely in August.

Edited January 28, 2016 by cruisinmeme

[RaiderFaninNM]

I know the subject is not hurricanes. I get that. Original poster is from UK, so give them a break and do research before giving advice that isn't real accurate.

I am 67 yrs old and I have lived on on gulf coast all my life.

Read up people! Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August. Tore up the cruise terminals, ruined every car there. Well anyway who has not heard of Katrina.

Unless I have lived it I wouldn't say, oh it don't happen but rarely in August.

 

 

Ok then the car rebuild was super fast as there were plenty and the cruise terminal was like it has been there for years......hmmmmm

 

Go and have fun regardless bar the humidity lots to do and see and eat!

[NOSaints1]

If you sail during Football season, do they show Saints Games?GEAUX Saints!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Velvetwater]

The hurricane advice is fine, I already knew it was Hurricane season and I have sailed in those parts before in August...we then trailed a few mini ones up the Mexican Riveria when we got the other side of the Panama Canal.

 

Sailing with saints fans huh? We almost always befriend Seahawk fans on cruises....not sure why.